Lafayette, CO: Community Information for Home Buyers

Lafayette, Colorado is a bedroom community of 24,500 that has championed its “small town feel” with a historic old town main street. The city’s self-image belies the significant and impressive economic development policies the city staff and City Councils of the last decade have pursued to take advantage of Lafayette’s proximity to Boulder and Denver. Platted in 1888, this town centered on serving travelers, miners and ranchers has only very recently begun to experience the challenges of growth. A detailed Comprehensive Plan and a focus on quality of life amenities has driven the community’s recent growth, which is a concern to long-time residents but a large part of the draw for newer residents.

The historic and traditional feel of the town has been complimented in recent years by a new library, recreation center and police station. Basically, Lafayette citizens value a small town atmosphere while desiring the services offered in larger neighboring municipalities.   The demand for housing in Lafayette has been driven by the relative affordability plus the perception of the town being a bit smaller than it really is. Numerous residential developments continue to fill in smaller corners and back-street niches; a few larger neighborhoods have already been approved and will fill in previously agricultural areas that may surprise some residents not following the decisions of the City Council. This includes the Silver Creek neighborhood on Hwy 287 and the Indian Peaks #17 development on Hwy 42, two areas many people presume are owned as (or should be) open space. Likewise numerous commercial developments continue to move ahead.

In this way, Lafayette has been both quietly and relatively quickly evolving into an economically powerful community with substantial commercial and retail services.

To that point, Lafayette has over 700 employers and more than 10,000 jobs, while still perceived regionally by most people as a bedroom community. The Exempla Good Samaritan Medical Center is largest employer in Lafayette, with professional and business services being the bulk of the community’s companies. Other health care services and the Boulder Valley School District are big employers. There are a small percentage of light industrial and high tech businesses, although more are relocating to Lafayette for the mixture of cheaper commercial space and convenient transportation access. This bulk of professional employees supports the secondary employers of coffee shops, salons, restaurants and other convenience providers.

The community has a mix of new commercial development along the main north/south corridor of Hwy 287, most notably the Super Wal-Mart that opened in August 2007. In the past couple years King Soopers and Albertsons have opened new grocery stores, Ace Hardware has located to Lafayette and Target is moving ahead with plans for a store along Hwy 287 on the south side of town in 2008.

All this commercial growth fuels the city’s budget demands for various programs and previous expenditures; however the city is sensitive to how such growth contradicts its small town image. In February 2007, a special election was held regarding a zoning change that would enable a Lowe’s Hardware store to develop a parcel on the east side of town. The City Council heard from residents if they approved the development they would have a recall petition drive, and a grass-roots anti-Lowe’s campaign was pitted against a coalition of Lowe’s supporters. The vote passed 55% - 45%, with a message of retaining sales tax from a store that could easily locate a half mile away in Erie instead overcoming the opposition’s voice for rural preservation and slower growth.

The residents are not predictably and consistently pro-growth, however. Residential growth control is included in the City’s Charter, confirmed in the November 2001 election. (In November 2007 citizens will vote whether or not to extend the residential permit cap restrictions.) Another example of alternate policy choices includes the western edge of Lafayette along South Boulder Road: this area is a combination of jointly-owned open space with the County and neighboring Louisville, and the new Eagle Place neighborhood, an all-rental affordable housing development, was chosen over commercial development.

While various new commercial developments continue to pop up on the Hwy 287 corridor, the old town area of Lafayette is somewhat under-developed. Frequent vacancies and empty shop fronts are interspersed with the antique stores, restaurants and other business along the main street. This lends itself to an atmosphere of a sleepy and relaxed downtown, or a disappointing and struggling downtown, depending on your preference. On balance Lafayette residents seem to prefer the simmering potential of the old town area to any major changes, which are saved for the Hwy 287 and Hwy 7 areas. The efforts of the Lafayette Old Town Association are politely endorsed and supported by City Council budget appropriations.

Similarly, commercial areas along South Boulder Road are set for redevelopment. The new Super WalMart left a large vacant property where the previous WalMart was located, and the city has not had any luck soliciting redevelopment proposals. This area on South Boulder Road and South Public Road, known as Countrywide Village, will very likely remain blighted for several years. Across the street from this area is an additional area of underutilized commercial space and little market interest in redevelopment.

The Lafayette Tech Center is a potentially larger source of professional service and light manufacturing jobs, although general market trends do not indicate any immediate major investments are likely. The most likely developments there will complement the Exempla Hospital by offering medical and other office space. Atlas Valley and Forest Park business parks offer restaurants, retail and services, and office space servicing dozens of entrepreneurial companies.

Lafayette owns over 1000 acres of open space and the community also benefits from substantial buffer/agricultural open space owned by Boulder County. Click here for an open space map of Lafayette.

The community will continue to be a great mix for people wanting to live where the neighborhoods are comfortable and the sense of the region’s urban development is still further away. The conveniences of retail and restaurants in particular are never far away. The future for Lafayette will be maximizing the redevelopment of commercial space to serve the residents while avoiding the tipping point that makes people feel they live in a much bigger community.

Additional details:

The Lafayette City Council consists of seven members. To see Lafayette’s Comprehensive Plan click here. The City’s website is here.